Members of the Garden Designers Roundtable are discussing landscape and garden renovations today. I hope you enjoy the conversation!
When I hear the word renovation I immediately think: evolution. Landscapes change immensely over time, as do the needs and desires of those who use the space. A new landscape is a leap of faith that is built with the anticipation that a particular vision will be fulfilled. When a garden is first installed, the hardscape is pristine and we can’t wait for the plants to grow to their full potential. Over time, however, what seemed to be a perfect plan becomes, instead, a perfect storm of changes that no longer work for us practically or aesthetically.
Here are a few of the clues I look for when assessing a landscape for renovation:
Growing conditions
- Plants are no longer blooming or their growth is elongated/spindly because their once sunny setting is now shaded. (Or the opposite; shade has been replaced by sun.)
- Plants are encroaching on walkways, windows, roof lines, etc., because they’ve outgrow their designated space.
- Plants are stressed due to water restrictions and/or irrigation failure.
Hardscape conditions
- Damaged or uneven surfaces that present a hazard to moving through the space
- Failed retaining walls
- Faded, stained, or discolored surfaces.
- Broken or sagging fences, gates, arbors, or stairs
- Drainage problems
Human conditions
- Changes in lifestyle
- Changes in aesthetic tastes
- Changes in gardening interests and/or values
- Changes in physical capabilities
My job, as a professional landscape designer, is to find solutions to these situations that can incorporate as much of the existing landscape as possible (I don’t classify an entire scrape-off as a renovation), and that meet the goals of the owner. In the following example, the homeowners’ primary concerns were to enhance their entryway, create easy access throughout the landscape, and develop a large vegetable garden. Here are a few before and after photographs of the project, which was installed by the owners from my design.
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| Before: a welcoming entry and a seating area were lacking |
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| After: a new deck/porch and... |
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| ... an entry walk, and refreshed garden plantings |
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| Before: home renovations created a need for new access and plantings for the extended side yard |
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| After: the perfect place for raised gardens and a destination seating area |
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| After: walkways serve as a unifying element throughout the landscape |
Regardless of the size and scope of your landscape renovation needs, remember that evolution is inherent to the living world and that as gardeners we should embrace it and celebrate it!
For more information and inspiration on renovating your landscape you can follow these links and read more from the Garden Designers Roundtable:
Andrew Keys : Garden Smackdown : Boston, MA
Carolyn Gail Choi : Sweet Home and Garden Chicago : Chicago, IL
Genevieve Schmidt : North Coast Gardening : Arcata, CA
Jocelyn Chilvers : The Art Garden : Denver, CO
Lesley Hegarty & Robert Webber : Hegarty Webber Partnership : Bristol, UK
Rochelle Greayer : Studio “G” : Boston, MA
Susan Cohan : Miss Rumphius’ Rules : Chatham, NJ
Susan Morrison : Blue Planet Garden Blog : East Bay, CA
Andrew Keys : Garden Smackdown : Boston, MA
Carolyn Gail Choi : Sweet Home and Garden Chicago : Chicago, IL
Genevieve Schmidt : North Coast Gardening : Arcata, CA
Jocelyn Chilvers : The Art Garden : Denver, CO
Lesley Hegarty & Robert Webber : Hegarty Webber Partnership : Bristol, UK
Rochelle Greayer : Studio “G” : Boston, MA
Susan Cohan : Miss Rumphius’ Rules : Chatham, NJ
Susan Morrison : Blue Planet Garden Blog : East Bay, CA
